COMPACT MID-IR LASER
First Claim
1. A mid-IR (MIR) laser device comprising:
- a housing;
a thermo electric cooling (TEC) device contained within the housing;
a heat spreader coupled to the TEC within the housing;
a quantum cascade laser contained within the housing and fixedly coupled to the heat spreader, the quantum cascade laser generating light output; and
an optical lens contained within the housing and fixedly coupled to the heat spreader, the optical lens collimating the light output from the quantum cascade laser, wherein the optical lens has numerical aperture that is greater than approximately 0.6, a diameter of less than approximately 5 millimeters, and a focal length of less than approximately 5 millimeters;
wherein the heat spreader serves to distribute heat to the TEC and also serves as an optical platform to fixedly position the quantum cascade laser and the optical lens relative to one another.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A compact mid-IR laser device utilizes a quantum cascade laser to provide mid-IR frequencies suitable for use in molecular detection by signature absorption spectra. The compact nature of the device is obtained owing to an efficient heat transfer structure, the use of a small diameter aspheric lens and a monolithic assembly structure to hold the optical elements in a fixed position relative to one another. The compact housing size may be approximately 20 cm×20 cm×20 cm or less. Efficient heat transfer is achieved using a thermoelectric cooler TEC combined with a high thermal conductivity heat spreader onto which the quantum cascade laser is thermally coupled. The heat spreader not only serves to dissipate heat and conduct same to the TEC, but also serves as an optical platform to secure the optical elements within the housing in a fixed relationship relative on one another. A small diameter aspheric lens may have a diameter of 10 mm or less and is positioned to provided a collimated beam output from the quantum cascade laser. The housing is hermetically sealed to provide a rugged, light weight portable MIR laser source.
63 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A mid-IR (MIR) laser device comprising:
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a housing; a thermo electric cooling (TEC) device contained within the housing; a heat spreader coupled to the TEC within the housing; a quantum cascade laser contained within the housing and fixedly coupled to the heat spreader, the quantum cascade laser generating light output; and an optical lens contained within the housing and fixedly coupled to the heat spreader, the optical lens collimating the light output from the quantum cascade laser, wherein the optical lens has numerical aperture that is greater than approximately 0.6, a diameter of less than approximately 5 millimeters, and a focal length of less than approximately 5 millimeters; wherein the heat spreader serves to distribute heat to the TEC and also serves as an optical platform to fixedly position the quantum cascade laser and the optical lens relative to one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A laser device comprising:
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a heat spreader; a laser coupled to the heat spreader, the laser generating light output; and an optical lens coupled to the heat spreader, the optical lens collimating the light output from the laser, wherein the optical lens has numerical aperture that is greater than approximately 0.6, a diameter of less than approximately 5 millimeters, and a focal length of less than approximately 5 millimeters. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for generating light output, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a heat spreader coupled to the TEC; coupling a laser to the heat spreader, the laser generating light output; and collimating the light output from the laser with an optical lens, the optical lens having numerical aperture that is greater than approximately 0.6, a diameter of less than approximately 5 millimeters, and a focal length of less than approximately 5 millimeters. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A mid-IR (MIR) laser device comprising:
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a housing; a thermo electric cooling (TEC) device contained within the housing; a heat spreader coupled to the TEC within the housing; a quantum cascade laser contained within the housing and fixedly coupled to the heat spreader, the quantum cascade laser generating light output; and an optical lens contained within the housing and fixedly coupled to the heat spreader, the optical lens collimating the light output from the quantum cascade laser; wherein the heat spreader serves to distribute heat to the TEC and also serves as an optical platform to fixedly position the quantum cascade laser and the optical lens relative to one another.
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Specification